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Retreiver Rocket

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Category: Real Space
Subcategory: 1/72

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Manufacturer:Glencoe Models
Medium: Styrene
Parts: 50+
Status: Available
Release Date: 1993
Skill Level: Beginner
Another classic model from Glencoe Models, the Retriever Rocket is a reissue of the Strombecker Lunar Reconnaissance Shp kit. The kit was issued in 1993 by Glencoe, and was reissued in 2010.

The design originated with Werner Von Braun, who first proposed the design in his 1956 book The Exploration of Mars. The purpose of the Retriever Rocket was to recover returning Mars explorers and return them to an Earth-orbiting satellite. The Retriever would basically act as a “taxi” to transfer the explorers from the personnel carrier to the satellite.

The parts are molded in white styrene and a sprue with nine clear parts is also included. Minimal flash is visible, and there isn’t any surface detail in the form of panel lines. A stand is also included, and attaches to the underside of the model, but the completed model can also be suspended from a ceiling or bookshelf if desired.

A sheet of waterslide decals is also provided, and offers the builder a choice of three digits (1 through 3) and seven letters (A, B,C, M, N, L and R) so you can pick the designation of your Retriever Rocket.

The completed kit looks like it is about 10.5 inches long.

Review by: Rich “Lonewolf” Dula

Entry created: November 22, 2011
Comments: 1 | Rating (1-5): | MSRP: $12.00

Product Comments
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Davey - 02:31 31/03/2014
I found a couple of these kits a few years back. I'm usually looking at kits more for their potential to be customized than their accuracy (or in this case 'accuracy') and this one didn't disappoint.

As pointed out, this one has very little in the way of molded-in detail; panel lines are at the builder's discretion. There are also clear windows in the cockpit and along the sides of the ship, but absolutely nothing inside. (Also notable that you can assemble the rear tank setup correctly and still attach it to the ship incorrectly; check twice, glue once. Drilling new feed line holes wasn't difficult, but it certainly was embarrassing.) Building a cockpit out of spare 1/72 airplane parts and some sheet styrene wasn't difficult; I wound up just putting a concealing hatchway between the cockpit and the aft compartment, but I'm thinking for the second one I'll make the effort at building the aft compartment as well.

The plastic, while sturdy enough, feels slender; handle some of the finer parts with care (this applies to scribing panel lines too). As well, the first one I assembled had apparently sat somewhere inhospitable for a long time; there was visible warping that took some work with superglue and clamps to fix.

Altogether, this is a nice addition to any space fleet you might be assembling (pun intended). :)

--Dj

 

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